Safety device for cable tool drilling rigs



y 13, 1952 A. H. BRANDT ET AL 2,596,362

SAFETY DEVICE FOR CABLE TOOL DRILLING RIGS Filed Feb. 25, 1950 Inventors:

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Patented May 13, 1952 SAFETY DEVICE FOR CABLE TOOL DRILLING RIGS Axel H. Brandt, Virginia, and Arthur J. Raasch, Mountain Iron, Minn.

Application February 23, 1950, Serial No. 145,636

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to safety devices for propping spudding beams in cable tool drilling rigs.

In such rigs one end of the spudding beam is hinged to the framework. The drilling cable is attached to the free end of this beam, extends over a crown sheave and then down to the drilling tool. The rig includes mechanism for raising and lowering the spudding beam in actual drilling. When the rig is idle, the weight of the tool tends to hold the beam in its raised position. If this weight is released suddenly, the spudding beam drops. The beam is heavy and its free end has a travel of approximately three feet. Thereforeiwhen the beam drops, it can cause serious injury to workmen and damage to equipment.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved safety devices which positively lock the spudding beam in its raised position when a rig is idle and thus eliminate the danger of a beams dropping, but which do not interfere with the normal operation of the rig.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved safety devices which comprise a prop hinged to a rig framework and engageable with a spudding beam for holding it in raised position, and which have readily accessible operating mechanism.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, we have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of a spudding beam and a safety device embodying features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the spudding beam and safety device;

Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section taken on line IIIIII of F gure 2 showing the safety device supporting the beam; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the safety device moved to its out-ofthe-way position for drilling.

The drawing shows a portion of a cable tool drilling rig which includes a framework Ill and a spudding beam I2 hinged to said framework at IS. The framework has intermediate vertical members l4 and at least one intermediate cross piece l5 beneath the spudding beam. The drilling rig is not shown nor described in detail, since otherwise it can be of any standard construction.

In accordance with the present invention cross piece I5 carries fixed spaced apart hinge ele ments IS. A prop I1 is hinged to these elements I6 and can turn to an up position, in which it engages and supports the beam in the raised position of the latter, or to a down position, in which it does not interfere with normal raisin and lowering of the beam while drilling.

Cross piece 15 also carries bearings It in which an operating shaft 19 is journaled. Said shaft carries a handle 29 at its outer end and a lever 2| at its inner end. Said lever has a slot 22 and prop I 1 has an outwardly extending stud 23 which rides in this slot. Therefore rotation of shaft l9 raises or lowers prop 11.

Cross piece l5 carries additional bearings 25 which slidably support a latch bar 25. The outermost hinge element I6 has an opening 26 and the leg of prop ll has an opening 21, which openings are aligned when the prop is in its up position. These aligned openings receive the inner end of latch bar 25, which thus locks the prop and the beam in their raised positions. Preferably a spring 28 surrounds the latch bar and acts against a pin 29 tending to force the latch bar inwardly.

In operation, prop ll normally occupies its down position in which it does not interfere with drilling (Figure 4). When drilling stops and the weight of the tool pulls the spudding beam to its raised position, handle 20 can be rotated clockwise from the position shown in Figure 4. This action raises the prop to its up position in which it positively holds the beam raised. Latch bar 25 is moved inwardly into openings 26 and 21 and thus locks the bar in this position (Figure 3).

From the foregoing description it is seen that we have provided a safety device which is of simple construction and yet positively looks a spudding beam in its raised position. Thus we have eliminated the danger of a beams dropping suddenly and causing injury or damage.

While we have shown and described only a single embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a cable tool drillin rig which includes a framework and a spudding beam hinged thereto, said framework having a cross piece under said spudding beam, a safety device for locking said spudding beam in its raised position comprising a prop hinged to said cross piece and movable to an up position in which it engages and supports said beam and a down position in which it allows said beam to be raised and lowered for drilling, an operating shaft journaled to said framework, means connecting said operating shaft and tation of the shaft, and means for lockin said prop in its up position.

2. In a cable tool drilling rig which includes a framework and a spudding beam hinged thereto, said framework having a cross piece under said spudding beam, a safety device for locking said spudding beam in its raised position comprising a prop hinged to said cross piece and movable to an up position in which it engages and supports said beam and a down position in which it allows said beam to be raised and lowered for drilling, bearings on said cross piece, an operating shaft journaled in said bearings, a handle on the outer end of said shaft, a lever on the inner end of said shaft, means operatively connectin said lever and said prep for raising and lowering the prop on rotation of the shaft, and means for locking said prop in its up position.

3. In a cable tool drilling rig'which includes a framework and a spudding beam hinged thereto, said framework having a cross piece under said spudding beam, a safety device for locking said spudding beam in its raised position comprising a prop hinged to said cross piece and movable to an up position in which it engages and supports said beam and a down position in which it allows said beam to be raised and lowered for drilling, an operating shaftjournaled to said framework, means connecting said operating shaft and. said prop for raising and lowering the prop on rotation of the shaft, said prop having an opening, and a latch bar slidably supported on said cross piece said prop for raising and lowering the prop on ro- V when said prop is in its up position for locking the prop in this position.

4. In a cable tool drilling rig which includes a framework and a spudding beam hinged thereto, said framework having a cross piece under said spudding beam, a safety device for locking said spudding beam in its raised position comprising a prop hinged to said cross piece and movable to an up position in which it engages and supports said beam and a down position in which it allows said beam to be, raised and lowered for drilling, bearings on said cross piece, an operating shaft iournaled in said bearings, a handle on the outer end of said shaft, a lever on the inner end of said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 461,274 Pyre Oct. 13, 1891 749,670 Gardner Jan. 12, 1904 2,249,117 Crandall July 15, 1941 

